M ADDRESS 


r,2— so 

r\  v fo* 

f V-  H 


ON 

THE  MISSIONARY  ASPECT 


or 


AFRICAN  COLONIZATION. 


BY 


JAMES  A.  LYON, 

Pastor  or  the  Westminster  (Presb.,)  Church,  St.  Louis. 


I took  thee  to  curs#*  mine  enemies,  and  behold,  thou  hast  blessed  them  altogether. — 

* Num.  xxiii.  11. 


St.  Corns,  ftlo. : 

PRINTED  IsY  T.  W.  U S T I C K , 

1850. 


NOTE. 

The  following  Address  was  first  delivered  in  obedience  to  the  request  of  the  Ci  Young  Men 
Colonization  Society  of  St.  Louis.”  It  was  afterwards  delivered,  substantially,  before  tin*  Colon 
zation  Society  of  St.  Charles,  and  is  at  their  instance  now  published. 


AN  ADDRESS,  &c. 


il  Resolved,  That  African  Colonization  is  but  the  last  of  a series  of 
providences,  as  wonderful  as  they  are  gracious,  the  ultimate  design 
of  which,  is  to  civilize  and  christianize  Africa.” 

Mr.  President  : — There  is  no  theme  better  adapted 
to  enlarge  the  mind  — - to  benefit  the  heart  — and  to  im- 
press us  with  a deep  sense  of  the  Goodness,  Wisdom, 
and  Justice  of  God  — than  that  of  a Divine  Providence, 
reigning  in,  and  ruling  over,  the  affairs  of  men. 

The  student  of  Providence,  -which  is  but  another 
name  for  the  student  of  a just  and  accurate  history,  will 
be  struck  with  the  curious  and  wonderful  fact,  that  God 
and  Man  have,  for  the  most  part,  directly  the  opposite 
designs  in  view,  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  same 
events.  For  example:  when  the  armies  of  Israel,  six 
hundred  thousand  strong,  set  forward  and  pitched  their 
tents  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  Balak,  the  king  of  that  part 
of  the  country,  having  long  heard  rumors  of  the  in- 
vincible prowess  of  this  marching  host  that  came  up  out 
of  Egypt,  became  greatly  alarmed,  and  sent  messengers, 
with  bribes  in  their  hands  and  promises  in  their  mouths, 
to  Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor,  a prophet,  beseeching  him 
to  come  and  curse  Israel.  Prompted  by  the  hope  of 
reward,  he  went.  Pie,  and  the  King,  ascended  into  the 
high-places  of  Baal,  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains  which 
commanded  a full  view  of  the  hosts  of  Israel,  spread  out 
far  and  wide  upon  the  plains  below.  They  erected 
“seven  altars,55  and  offered  their  splendid  sacrifices  of 
sheep,  and  oxen,  and  rams.  And  the  avaricious  prophet 
took  up  his  parable,  but  instead  of  cursing,  behold,  he 


J 


“ blessed ” Israel ! Again  and  again,  the  attempt  was 
made  to  extort  a curse,  but  again  and  again,  it  proved  a 
blessing ! 

So  when  Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt,  the  design  of  his 
wicked  brethren,  in  this  unnatural  deed,  was  to  frustrate 
the  fulfillment  of  Joseph’s  dreams,  which  portended  his 
future  exaltation,  and  sovereignty  over  them.  But  by  a 
curious  and  wonderful  concatenation  of  events,  this  very 
act  of  theirs,  so  monstrous  in  its  conception,  so  cruel  in 
its  execution,  was  made  the  very  means,  in  the  hand  of 
God,  in  accomplishing  the  very  end  which  they  designed 
to  defeat ! This  Joseph  himself  declares,  when,  in  order 
to  allay  the  fear  of  his  conscience-stricken  brethren,  he 
says  : “ But  as  for  you,  ye  thought  evil  against  me ; but 
God  meant  it  unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day, 
to  save  much  people  alive.” 

What  a magnificent  illustration  have  we  of  this  singular 
truth,  in  the  history  of  our  own  glorious  country  ! A 
great  and  mighty  king,  in  order  to  crush  the  seedlings  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  springing  up  in  his  soil,  swore 
that  he  uwould  harry  them  out  of  his  Kingdom ” — that  he 
would  drag  over  them  the  iron  tooth  of  persecution,  until 
they  should  be  eradicated  and  destroyed  ! And  he  did 
“ harry  them  out  of  his  Kingdom,”  and  the  poor 
“ Puritans”  were  driven  from  post  to  pillar,  and  from 
pillar  to  post,  until  they  landed,  welcomed  by  the 
“ rocking  pines,”  that  roared  — and  the  breaking  waves, 
that  “ dashed  high,”  upon  the  ice-clad  rocks  of  Plymouth, 
where  they  had  “freedom  to  worship  God;”  and  where 
they  erected  a standard  of  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
whose  streamers  are  stretching  out  over  all  nations,  and 
whose  majestic  folds  attract  the  admiration  of  the  whole 
world,  insomuch  that  our  country,  like  the  “mountain  of 
the  Lord’s  House,”  established  on  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains, “ all  nations  flow  unto  it.”  Thus  the  very  effort 


5 


made  by  the  British  King,  to  crush  civil  and  religious 
liberty  in  the  germ,  was  overruled  by  the  providence  of 
God,  in  establishing  the  grandest  Empire  of  freedom  the 
world  ever  saw;  and  which  is  morally  certain,  by  its 
reverse  influence,  to  undermine  every  despot’s  throne, 
crumble  every  galling  sceptre,  and  dash  every  tyrant’s 
crown  to  the  dust. 

A most  wonderful  illustration  of  this  singular  truth,  is 
to  be  found  in  the  history  of  the  African  Slave  Trade. 
It  is  now  beginning  to  appear  manifestly,  that  what  men 
designed  as  a gratification  of  the  basest  and  most  revolt- 
ing cupidity,  God  designed  as  the  means  to  christianize 
and  civilize  Africa!  Hence  “African  Colonization”  has 
become  one  of  the  most  interesting  Missionary  enter- 
prises of  the  age,  or  of  any  age.  It  is  a theme,  which 
every  Christian  heart,  that  is  alive  with  the  true  spirit  of 
Christianity,  must  contemplate  with  delight.  And  hence 
it  is  our  object  on  the  present  occasion,  to  look  at  this 
wonderful  move  in  God’s  providence  — to  turn  aside,  as 
Moses  did  at  the  burning  bush,  to  see  this  great  sight, 
and  to  hear  and  understand  the  voice  of  God  in  this  mat- 
ter — to  contemplate,  for  a few  moments,  “ The 
Missionary  Aspect  of  African  Colonization not  only  in 
order  that  we  may  see  how  the  Lord,  in  infinite  goodness 
and  wisdom,  “brings  good  out  of  evil” — a subject  worthy 
the  contemplation  of  the  most  pious  and  devout,  as  well 
as  of  the  most  holy  time  and  place  — but  that  we  may 
magnify  the  adorable  mercy  of  God  in  sending  the  gospel 
to  benighted  Africa.  Such  an  excercise,  whilst  it  en- 
larges our  views,  elevates  our  hopes,  increases  our 
knowledge,  and  invigorates  our  faculties  — at  the  same 
time  strenghtens  the  faith,  and  cheers  the  heart,  of  the 
humble  Christian,  whose  daily  prayer  is : “ Thy  kingdom 
come.  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.” 
But  to  the  end  that  this  effect  may  be  produced  upon 


6 


our  minds,  in  tracing  out  God’s  gracious  purposes  towards 
Africa,  in  the  permission  of  that  most  hideous  and  mon- 
strous of  all  the  outrages  ever  perpetrated  upon 
humanity— the  “Slave  Trade”- — we  must  divest  ourselves 
of  all  predjudice  — lose  sight  for  the  moment,  of  the 
wicked  passions  of  men,  and  look  only  to  God’s  prov- 
idence, brooding  over  their  works  of  darkness,  as  did  his 
Spirit,  at  lirst,  over  Chaos,  bringing  order  out  of  confu- 
sion, light  out  of  darkness,  and  beauty  out  of  deformity, 
causing  the  “wrath  of  man  to  praise  him.”  Or  as  the 
Alpine  Shepherd  from  some  towering  peak,  amid  his  sub- 
lime solitudes,  look's  down  upon  the  clouds  under  which 
the  thunders  roll  and  the  storm  rages,  but  whose  upper 
surface,  reflecting  the  sun’s  rays,  resembles  an  ocean  of 
strange  brilliancy,  pushed  up  into  trembling  mountains, 
and  moving  valleys,  and  curious,  beautiful  forms,  by  the 
very  violence  of  the  storm  underneath  — so  let  us  rise 
above  the  raging  passions  of  men  — loose  sight  of  the 
heartlessness  of  the  kidnapper  — the  cruelty  of  the 
slaver  — and  the  cupidity  of  the  task-master,  and  contem- 
plate, as  from  some  superior  height,  the  wonderful 
providence  of  God,  in  relation  to  the  destinies  of  Africa. 

There  is  a striking  parallel  of  coincidences  between 
Israel’s  bondage  in  Egypt,  and  Africa’s  slavery  in 
America.  The  promise  was . made  to  Abraham,  that  his 
“ seed”  should  possess  the  land  of  Canaan.  How  this 
promise  was  to  be  fulfilled,  it  was  impossible  to  see. 
Abraham  himself,  could  not  drive  out  the  numerous  and 
powerful  hordes  that  then  inhabited  the  land.  In  propor- 
tion as  his  clan  increased,  in  numbers  and  strength,  in 
the  families  of  Isaac  and  Jacob,  they  excited  the  jealousy 
and  hatred  of  the  surrounding  tribes,  insomuch,  that 
long  before  they  went  down  into  Egypt,  they  were 
frequently  in  danger  of  being  cut  off. 

And  it  is  morally  certain,  that  had  they  remained 


much  longer  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  separated,  as 
they  were,  from  their  powerful  and  jealous  neighbors,  by 
religious  rites  and  ceremonies,  they  would  have  been 
utterly  destroyed.  To  prevent  this  catastrophe,  and  also 
to  allow  time  for  the  family  of  Abram  to  multiply,  and 
increase,  and  become  a mighty  people,  capable  of  taking 
and  retaining  possession  of  the  land  of  promise,  God,  by 
a strange  providence,  sends  them  to  Egypt,  where  they 
became  slaves , in  the  most  galling  and  ignominious  bond- 
age, for  many  generations  — and  where  they  not  only  did 
multiply  and  become  a great  nation,  but  also  became 
familiar  with  the  learning  and  arts,  of  the  then  most  civil- 
ized and  cultivated  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  And 
in  due  time  they  returned,  six  hundred  thousand  fighting 
men  strong,  bringing  with  them  the  wealth,  the  learning, 
and  the  arts  of  Egypt,  and  took  possession  of  the  very 
land  of  promise  which  they  could  not  otherwise  have  ac- 
quired, had  it  not  been  for  their  long  sojourn  in  the  land 
of  their  captivity.  So  in  like  manner  we  shall  find,  by  a 
candid  and  dispassionate  investigation  of  the  subject  in 
the  light  of  God’s  providence,  that  it  is  the  design  of  the 
Almighty,  in  spite  of  the  counter  intentions  of  wicked 
men,  in  permitting  the  nefarious  “slave  trade,”  thereby 
indirectly  to  school,  civilize,  and  christianize  the  black 
man,  and  in  due  time,  (not  exceeding  the  period  that 
Israel  was  in  Egypt,)  send  him  back  as  a Missionary , 
laden  with  the  spoils  of  civilization,  to  evangelize  and 
bless , with  all  the  blessings  of  peace  and  liberty,  that  be- 
nighted continent! 

When  we  open  the  Bible,  we  find  it  replete  with  great 
and  precious  promises,  in  relation  to  the  final  triumph  of 
Christianity  over  the  whole  world.  “ They  shall  teach  no 
more  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother, 
saying,  Know  the  Lord  : for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord.”  David, 


ft 


in  the  Psalms,,  represents  the  Father,  as  saying  to 
Messiah,  his  Son, — “Ask  of  me,  and  I shall  give  thee  the 
heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth  for  thy  possession.”  And  not  only  so,  but  it  is 
said  specifically  of  Africa  — “ Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch 
out  her  hands  to  God.”  These  and  like  Scripture  prom- 
ises and  prophesies,  assure  us  that  the  whole  world  is 
eventually  to  be  evangelized,  and  that  Africa,  of  course, 
is  one  day  to  become  a Christian  nation.  But  how  is  this 
to  be  accomplished  ? Suppose  that  the  question  had  been 
asked  three  hundred  years  ago,  How  is  Africa  to  he  Evan- 
gelized? It  would  have  been  impossible  to  have  solved 
the  problem : for, 

First , There  was  then  no  Enterprise  in  Africa,  to 
bring  it  into  contact  with  Christian  and  civilized  nations. 
Commerce  and  trade  are  the  most  cogent  of  all  the  instru- 
mentalities ever  made  use  of  by  the  providence  of  God, 
in  diffusing  the  blessings  of  religion  and  civilization,  save 
that  of  Colonization.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  agencies, 
in  breaking  down  the  partition  walls  of  predjudice,  caste, 
language,  and  religion,  that  separate  different  nations  and 
tribes,  and  binding  the  race  of  man  into  one  great  brother- 
hood. It  was  Commerce  that  took  the  gospel  to  India  — 
it  is  Commerce  that  is  now  taking  it  to  the  different  ports 
of  China.  But  three  hundred  years  ago,  there  was  no 
Enterprise  in  Africa,  not  even  the  Slave  Trade  itself,  to 
bring  it  into  contact  with  other  nations. 

And  not  only  so,  but  a glance  at  the  Map  of  Africa, 
comparing  it  with  Europe  and  other  countries,  will  con- 
vince the  logical  mind,  that  it  was  not  the  design  of 
Providence,  that  Africa  should  become  a commercial 
country  ‘previous  to  her  evangelization  ; since  it  has  not 
the  natural  or  topographical  facilities  for  commerce  and 
trade,  such  as  Peninsulas , Bays,  Harbors,  inland  Seas, 
numerous  and  navigable  Rivers,  &c.  “Africa”  says  the 


9 


learned  Arnold  Guyot,  “ is  the  most  singular  in  its  form, 
of  all  the  continents.  Its  mass,  nearly  round  or  ellip- 
soidal, is  concentrated  upon  itself.  It  projects  into  the 
ocean  no  important  peninsula,  nor  any  where  lets  into  its 
bosom  the  waters  of  the  ocean.  It  seems  to  close  itself 
against  every  influence  from  without.  Thus  the  exten- 
sion of  the  line  of  its  coasts,  is  only  fourteen  thousand 
geographical  miles,  of  sixty  to  the  degree,  for  a surface  of 
eight  millions , seven  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  square 
miles  ; so  that  Africa  has  only  one  mile  of  coast  for  six 
hundred  and  twenty-three  miles  of  surface  1 ” 

But  when  we  glance  at  the  Map  of  Europe,  we 
perceive  the  very  reverse  to  be  true.  “ Of  all  the  conti- 
nents, Europe  is  the  one  whose  forms  of  contour  are  most 
varied.  Its  principal  mass  is  deeply  cut  in  all  parts,  by 
the  ocean,  and  by  inland  seas;  and  seems  almost  on  the 
point  of  resolving  itself  into  peninsulas. ” “ The  inland 

seas,  and  the  portions  of  the  ocean  which  its  outer  limits 
enclose,  form  nearly  half  of  its  surface.  The  line  of  its 
shores  is  thus  carried  to  the  extent  of  seventeen  thousand 
two  hundred  miles,  an  enormous  proportion,  compared  with 
its  small  size:  for  it  is  three  thousand  two  hundred  miles 
more  than  Africa,  which  is  nevertheless  three  times 
greater!  Europe  enjoys  one  mile  of  coast  for  every  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  square  miles  of  surface.  It  is  thus 
the  continent  most  open  to  the  sea  for  foreign  connexions, 
at  the  same  time  that  is  is  the  most  individualized  in  lo- 
cal and  independent  districts.” 

These  singular  and  interesting  facts  not  only  explain,  in 
part,  why  Africa,  three  hundred  years  ago,  was  destitute 
of  commerce  and  trade,  but  they  prove  to  the  reflecting 
mind,  that  it  was  impossible  from  the  very  nature  of 
things,  that  she  should  become  a commercial  and  enter- 
prising people,  until  she  first  became  civilized ; so  as  to 
remedy,  by  the  arts  of  civilization,  (Canals,  Railroads, 

B 


10 


&c.,  things  not  then  dreamed  of,)  these  natural  hindrances 
to  their  intercommunion  with  the  religious  and  civilized 
portion  of  mankind.  It  was  manifest  then,  that  it  was 
not  the  design  of  Providence  that  Africa  should  be  evan- 
gelized through  the  instrumentality  of  commerce  and 
trade  with  foreign  nations. 

Second , This  could  not  be  accomplished  by  Conquest, 
or  the  Colonization  of  Europeans,  on  that  continent,  from 
the  fact  that  the  Almighty  seems  to  have  proclaimed  an 
interdiction  in  the  character  of  the  climate  of  that  country,  ' (i 
against  the  white  man  living  there.  The  history  of  mis- 
sionary efforts  in  Western  Africa,  fully  sustains  this  fact. 

“Catholic  Missionaries”  says  Tracy,  in  his  history  of 
missions,  “ labored  for  two  hundred  and  forty-one  years, 
but  every  vestige  of  their  influence  has  been  gone  for 
many  generations.  The  Moravians,  beginning  in  1736, 
toiled  for  thirty  four  years,  making  five  attempts,  at  a 
cost  of  eleven  lives,  and  accomplished  nothing.  An  En- 
glish attempt,  at  Bulama  Island,  in  1792,  partly  mission- 
ary in  its  character,  was  abandoned  in  two  years,  with 
the  loss  of  one  hundred  lives!  A mission  sent  to  the 
Foulahs,  from  England,  in  1795,  returned  without  com- 
mencing its  labors.  The  London,  Edinborough,  and 
Glasgow  Society  commenced  three  Stations  in  1797,  , 

which  were  extinct  in  three  years,  and  five  of  the  six 
missionaries  dead.”  “Here  then  are  eighteen  protestant 
missionary  attempts,  before  the  settlement  of  Liberia,  all 
of  which  failed.” 

These  facts  prove  that  it  was  not  the  design  of  the 
Almighty,  that  Africa  should  be  civilized  and  christianized 
by  the  conquest  or  colonization  of  whites  in  that  country. 

The  question  then  again  arises  : if  Africa  is  excluded  from 
intercommunion  with  civilized  and  christianized  nations, 
for  the  want  of  enterprise,  commerce,  and  trade — if  there 
is  an  insuperable  barrier  existing  in  the  fatality  of  her 


11 


climate,  against  the  ingress  of  Europeans,  those  who  are 
supposed  to  have  the  blessings  of  Christian  light  and  enter- 
prise — how  is  she  ever  to  become  evangelized  ? 

Third , There  was  not,  three  hundred  years  ago,  nor  is 
there  still,  in  the  Christian  Church  sufficient  self-denial , 
zeal , and  energy  to  send  after  the  Negro  and  take  him 
home,  in  order  to  civilize,  educate,  and  evangelize  him, 
and  then  send  him  back  to  Africa,  to  communicate  the 
same  blessings  to  his  benighted  brethren.  Or  even  if  we 
suppose,  contrary  to  the  fact,  that  there  wras  a sufficiency 
of  Christian  zeal  on  this  subject  in  the  Church,  to  send 
every  year  scores  of  ships  to  transport  them  by  thousands 
and  tens  of  thousands  into  Christian  lands,  for  the  purpose 
of  being  christianized  and  then  sent  back  to  Africa,  they 
could  not  be  persuaded  to  accept  this  gracious  offer. 
Being  rude,  ignorant,  savage,  and  debased,  they  could  not 
appreciate  the  value  of  the  blessings  proffered  them. 
They  therefore  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  expatriate 
themselves.  They  must  consequently  be  taken  by  vio- 
lence, if  taken  at  all,  a measure  utterly  subversive  of  the 
very  gospel  which  we  wish  to  inculcate  upon  them. 

What  now  is  to  be  done?  Howr  is  this  great  problem 
to  be  solved?  By  what  means  shall  the  prophesy  be  ful- 
filled, which  says  : “ Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her 
hands  to  God”?  There  is  no  enterprise,  as  yet  no 
Commerce  and  trade  in  Africa,  to  bring  her  in  contact 
with  Christian  countries.  Her  climate  interposes  an  in- 
superable barrier  to  the  white  man  going  there  in  any 
numbers.  And  there  is  not  a sufficiency  of  Christian 
zeal  in  the  Church,  to  send  for  them  ; and  if  they  did 
send,  they  could  not  get  them  without  bribery,  or  violence. 
God  does  not  work  miracles  to  do  what  man  can,  and 
ought  to  do.  How  then,  is  this  great  event  to  be  brought 
about?  The  Lord,  who  rules  ip,  and  reigns  over,  the 
passions  of  men  — brings  good  out  of  evil  — turns  the 


12 


curse  into  a blessing  — and  causes  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him,  thereby  magnifying  his  own  glory  — ‘permits 
the  existence  of  that  most  diabolical  and  monstrous  of  all 
the  outrages  that  ever  polluted  humanity,  the  “African 
Slave  Trade” — and  sends  the  pirate  after  the  Negro,  to 
bring  him  to  this  country,  where  he  is  converted , educated , 
civilized , and  in  due  time  sent  back  — as  were  the 
ancient  Israelites  with  the  spoils  of  the  Egyptians  — 
laden  with  the  richest  blessings  of  civilization  and  Christi- 
anity, with  which  to  bless  and  evangelize  Africa ! Who 
can  fail  to  see  in  this  the  wonderful  Wisdom  and 
Goodness  of  God ! And  where  is  the  heart  so  cold,  so 
insensible,  as  not  to  find  in  this  food  for  the  most  devout 
contemplation.  “ O the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the 
Wisdom  and  the  Knowledge  of  God ! how  unsearchable 
are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out ! ” 

The  second  great  aspect,  in  which  this  interesting 
subject  is  to  be  viewed,  relates  to  the  glorious  wisdom  of 
God’s  providence,  in  preparing  the  Negro  to  be  a 
Missionary  in  his  own  country. 

The  great  object  of  Missions,  is  to  enlighten  the  Mind, 
and  save  the  Soul.  But  the  Negro,  without  miraculous 
interposition,  could  not  be  qualified,  in  his  own  country, 
for  the  performance  of  this  great  work ; because  in  an 
uncivilized,  barbarous  state,  no  sufficient  inducements 
could  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  African,  to  prompt 
him  to  undergo  the  labor,  toil,  self-denial,  and  mental 
discipline,  necessary  to  qualify  him  for  becoming  a Mis- 
sionary. “Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention”;  but 
the  savage  African  has  but  few  wants,  and  they  are  for 
the  most  part  supplied  by  the  exuberant  bounty  of  nature. 
His  native  soil  produces  spontaneously,  and  in  great 
abundance,  the  fruits  and  herbs  which  supply  him  with 
food ; and  the  climate  does  not  require  clothing.  Hence 


13 


the  African  at  home,  having  but  few  wants,  and  these 
supplied  by  the  hand  of  nature,  will  not , of  his  own  free 
will  and  accord , undergo  the  toil  and  hardship  necessary 
to  acquire  a knowledge  of  the  useful  arts,  and  handicrafts 
of  civilized  life.  Consequently  the  first  step  towards 
preparing  him  to  enlighten  and  evangelize  his  benighted 
brethren,  was  to  take  him  away  from  his  own  country , 
and  place  him  under  such  circumstances,  as  would  compel 
him  to  acquire  the  necessary  information. 

In  the  next  place,  the  Negro,  by  a most  unchristian 
act,  is  brought  to  a Christian  land,  and  placed  under  cir- 
cumstances most  favorable  to  his  conversion,  and 
becoming  a Christian.  This  is  a remarkable  fact,  man- 
ifest to  every  one  who  will  reflect  but  a moment  on  the 
subject.  For  what  are  the  great  hindrances  in  the  way 
of  men  becoming  Christians  ? 

First , Is  not  the  “ Love  of  Money ” — the  desire  for 
great  wealth  — one  of  the  greatest  hindrances  to  the  con- 
version of  men.  It  is,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  “the 
root  of  all  evil.”  But  this  mighty  stumbling  block  does 
not  stand  in  the  way  of  the  Slave  — such  a thing  as 
becoming  rich , never  enters  his  mind : he  has  but  little 
use  for  money. 

Second,  Ambition  — aspiring  after  honors  and  distinc- 
tion — is  another  of  the  hindrances,  in  the  way  of  many, 
in  becoming  the  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This, 
however,  does  not  harrass  the  mind  of  the  Slave  — there 
is  no  wreath  of  political  or  literary  fame  for  his  brow  — 
no  laurel  within  his  grasp  — no  road  of  distinction  or 
renown  marked  out  for  him.  He  therefore  is  not  hin- 
dered, from  embracing  Christ,  by  the  lust  of  ambition. 

Third,  How  greatly  is  religion  retarded,  by  the 
existence  of  Pride,  Envy,  Hatred,  &c.,  caused  by  con- 
flicting interests  with  our  fellow  men,  in  our  business, 
pursuits,  and  pretensions  in  life ! But  this  the  Slave  feels 


14 


but  little  of,  since  lie  has  no  will,  no  interests  of  his  own, 
to  conflict  with  the  interests  of  others. 

Fourth , Cares  — cares  of  family  and  children  — cares 
of  property  and  business  — cares  of  “ reputation,  food, 
and  health” — throw  insurmountable  obstacles  in  the  way 
of  the  great  majority  of  men,  in  becoming  Christians. 
’T  is  this  “ carking  care,”  that  is  so  successful  in  per- 
suading to  ‘procrastination  — that  “ thief  of  time” — until 
“ the  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  ended,  and  the  soul  not 
saved.”  But  these  cares  the  Slave  has  not  — he  has  no 
property,  no  business,  no  reputation,  to  care  for  — his 
children,  in  one  sense  — and  even  his  health  and  life  — are 
not  his  own  — they  are  his  master’s,  and  cared  for,  pro- 
tected, and  defended,  by  him. 

It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  the  circumstances  of 
slavery,  in  which  Providence  has  placed  the  Negro,  are 
most  favorable  to  his  conversion  and  religious  enjoy- 
ment : which  is  an  illustration,  as  wonderful  as  the 
coincidence  is  striking,  of  the  words  of  Joseph  : “ But  as 
for  you,  ye  thought  evil  against  me ; but  God  meant  it 
unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day,  to  save  much 
people  alive.” 

This  position  is  abundantly  corroborated  by  fact : for 
out  of  three  millions  of  slaves  in  this  country,  at  least  a 
half  a million  — one  in  every  six  — are  professors  of  reli- 
gion, which  is  a proportion  vastly  greater  than  can  be 
found  amongst  any  other  class  of  mankind,  wdiere  the 
profession  of  religion  is  a voluntary  thing,  on  the  part  of 
individuals  ! And  not  only  so,  but  it  is  another  remark- 
able fact,  that  there  are  more  professors  of  religion,  three 
to  one,  amongst  the  Slaves  in  America,  than  in  all  heathen 
countries,  put  together ! The  number  of  Evangelical 
Missionaries,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  is  one  thou- 
sand, four  hundred  and  fifty  two.  The  number  of  Church 
members  in  heathen  lands,  including  the  Colonists , which, 


15 


1 presume,  constitute  a large  majority  of  the  whole, 
together  with  the  families  of  missionaries,  is  only  one 
hundred  and  ninety  thousand  six  hundred  and  twenty- 
three, , whereas  there  are  not  less  than  Jive  or  six  hundred 
thousand  professing  Christians  amongst  the  slaves  in  this 
country ! How  amazing,  and  how  gracious  the  overruling 
providence  of  God,  in  making  use  of  the  “ Slave  Trade ” — 
so  wicked  in  its  intention  — so  brutal  in  its  execution  — 
so  abominable  in  the-  estimation  of  all  virtuous  men  — as  a 
means,  indirectly,  of  saving  more  souls  than  all  the  com- 
bined missionary  operations  of  Christendom,  within  the 
last  three  hundred  years  — thereby  “bringing  good  out 
of  evil” — “ turning  the  curse  into  a blessing” — and  caus- 
ing the  “ wrath  of  man  to  praise  him  ! ! 

The  third  preparatory  step  towards  qualifying  the 
Negro  for  being  a successful  Missionary  in  his  own 
country,  is  to  civilize  him.  This  is  effected  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  slavery  in  which  he  is  placed  in  this 
country.  He  is  educated  in  the  art  of  Agriculture , the 
very  thing  that  is  destined  eventually  to  bring  Africa  in 
contact  with  other  countries  ; for  it  does  not  require  the 
perspicacity  of  a philosophic  politician  to  see  that  Africa 
is  destined,  ere  long,  in  consequence  of  her  exuberant  soil 
and  tropical  climate,  to  become  the  granary  and  the 
fruitery  of  the  world. 

He  is  educated  in  the  Mechanic  arts.  Providence  is, 
in  a remarkable  manner,  bringing  this  about,  by  causing, 
as  it  were,  the  seasons  to  emigrate , so  that  where  Cotton 
was  once  profitably  cultivated,  it  will  not  now  grow  — 
and  were  it  not  for  the  remains  of  “ Gin-houses”  and 
“ Cotton-screws”,  monuments  of  the  departed,  it  would 
not  be  known,  to  the  rising  generation,  that  Cotton  was 
ever  grown  in  certain  sections  of  the  country.  The  result 
is,  that  the  master  must  either  remove  his  slaves  in  pur- 
suit of  the  emigrating  climate,  or  he  must  turn  their 


16 


labor  into  the  channels  of  the  mechanic  arts,  which  is 
actually  being  done  to  a very  general  extent.  And  in 
this  way  Providence  is  preparing  the  Negro  for  a speedy 
return  to  his  own  country  ! 

Proficiency  in  the  mechanic  arts  renders  the  study  of. 
the  Sciences  necessary.  Not  that  the  Negro  is  sent  to 
Academies  and  Colleges  to  study  the  sciences,  but  he 
studies  them,  as  Archimedes  did,  by  actual  practice ; for 
how  could  the  mechanic  construct  a Bridge  — throw  an 
Arch  — rear  a Column  — pitch  a Dome  — weld  Metals  — 

&C.  &C.,  without  SCIENTIFIC  KNOWLEDGE. 

The  Negro,  therefore,  from  the  force  of  the  circum- 
stances of  slavery  in  which  he  has  been  placed,  is  not 
only  Christianized , but  Civilized,  and  qualified  to  be- 
come an  active  and  a component  part  of  a civilized 
community  — to  cultivate  the  soil  — to  build  cities  — to 
engage  in  trade  — to  regulate  commerce  — to  make  laws, 
&c.  &c.  He  is  now  ready  to  return  to  Africa,  laden 
with,  what  may  be  termed,  the  spoils  of  civilization. 

But  we  come  now  to  contemplate  the  third  grand  move 
of  God’s  providence,  in  relation  to  Africa.  The  Negro 
is  now  qualified  to  return  to  Africa,  but  how  will  you 
prevail  on  him  to  go  ? This  is  now  his  native  country  - — 
the  ashes  of  his  father,  and  of  his  father’s  father,  for 
many  generations,  it  may  be,  lie  here.  Here  are  his  kin- 
dred, and  all  the  associations  of  childhood  and  youth. 
There  are  thousands  of  attachments  to  the  land  of  his 
bondage,  as  dear  to  the  Negro  as  were  the  “ flesh-pots” 
of  Egypt  to  the  Israelites  : and  Christianity  forbids  that 
we  should  force  him  away.  How  than  is  the  civilized 
and  christianized  black  man  to  be  induced  to  return  to 
Africa  ? 

Providence  has,  in  a wonderful  and  almost  startling 
way,  obviated  this  difficulty,  by  placing  an  irreconcilable 


17 


and  invincible  Antipathy  between  the  white  man  and 
the  free  black , so  as  to  make  it  utterly  impossible  — 
maugre  all  the  preaching  and  interminable  lecturing  on  the 
subject  of  “Unreasonable  Predjudice,”  “Christian  Char- 
ity,” “ Universal  Philanthropy,”  &c.  &c., — for  them  ever 
to  meet  on  the  same  level  in  any  other  country  than 
Africa!  This  is  strange,  passing  strange,  but  no  more 
strange  than  true,  and  cannot  be  accounted  for  without 
admitting  the  interposition  of  a Divine  Providence  in  this 
matter.  It  is  an  anomalous  fact,  without  a parallel  in  the 
history  of  the  different  races  and  tribes  of  men.  The 
“Piets,”  “Scots,”  “Angles,”  and  “Saxons”  coalesced 
into  one  people,  in  Britain.  The  “Patricians”  and  “Ple- 
beians” of  Rome  finally  mixed  together.  The  “ Greeks” 
and  Helots  made  one  people.  The  “Mexicans”  and 
“ Spaniards”  readily  amalgamated,  and  we  are  not  without 
•any  number  of  examples,  in  the  history  of  the  various 
tribes  and  nations  of  the  earth,  of  the  union  and  commin- 
gling of  races  as  diverse,  in  all  respects,  as  the  Negro  and 
the  White  Man  — so  that  the  thing  itself  is  not  unfeasible. 
Why  then  this  invincible  antipathy  between  the  white 
man  and  the  black,  when  civil  or  social  equality  is  thought 
of?  Is  it  not  manifestly  the  voice  of  God,  in  his  provi- 
dence, saying  to  the  black  man,  Avho  is  now  qualified  to 
be  a missionary  in  Africa,  that  this  is  not  his  home  — 
that  he  must  go  hence  ? 

Had  Joseph  lived,  or  his  decendants  retained  their 
authority  in  Egypt  — and  had  the  Israelites  not  been 
subjected  to  cruel  bondage  and  the  lash  of  the  task-mas- 
ter, doubtless,  they  would  have  been  content  to  have 
remained  in  Egypt,  and  enjoyed  its  luxuries;  and  could 
not  have  been  prevailed  upon,  especially  in  view  of  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  that  were  in  the  way,  to  go  up 
and  take  possession  of  the  land  of  promise.  Nothing 

but  the  most  dire  oppression  made  them  willing.  And 

c 


18 


even  after  they  had  started  on  their  journey,  notwith- 
standing the  recollection  of  their  recent  cruel  bondage, 
they  were  frequently  longing  after  the  “ flesh-pots”  that 
they  had  left  behind  ! So  of  the  Negro — notwithstanding 
he  is  now  ready  and  qualified  to  take  home  the  blessings 
of  Civilization  and  Christianity  to  Africa,  yet  if  he  found 
this  country  pleasant  for  him,  or  even  tolerable,  he  would 
be  extremely  loath  to  leave  it.  But  the  very  fact  that 
there  is  a strange  and  invincible  (and  unjust  and  unrea- 
sonable, if  you  choose  to  call  it  so,)  antipathy  between 
the  white  and  black  man,  rendering  it  impossible  for  them 
ever  to  meet,  in  this  country,  on  the  same  level  and  as 
equals,  is  the  voice  of  God,  in  his  providence,  saying  : 
“Get  thee  out,  and  go  hence /”  — “ be  my  servants  and 
messengers  in  taking  to  Africa  the  blessings  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  in  fulfilling  my  gracious  promise : 4 Ethiopia  shall 
soon  stretch  out  her  hands  to  God.’  ” 

But  how  is  the  Negro  to  get  to  Africa  ? He  has  no 
“ Moses”  to  lead  him  forth  with  signs  and  mighty  won- 
ders — there  is  no  promise  of  miraculous  interference  — 
“ manna”  to  supply  bread  — the  “ Rock”  to  send  forth 
gushing  streams  — and  a “ wind  from  the  Lord”  to  bring 
meat.  And,  moreover,  the  great  and  mighty  sea,  the 
broad  Atlantic,  lies  between  him  and  the  home  of  his 
ancestors,  and  there  is  no  “ Aaron’s  Rod”  to  divide  these 
waters,  nor  “ cloudy  pillar”  to  lead  the  way;  how  then 
is  he  to  get  to  Africa.  The  Lord  provides.  The  fourth, 
and  final  move,  in  this  wonderful  series  of  providences, 
was  the  organization  of  the  “American  Colonization  So- 
ciety.” About  thirty  years  ago  certain  benevolent  per- 
sons, in  different  parts  of  the  country,  were  simultaneously 
moved  by  an  unwonted  and  unusual  desire  to  benefit  the 
black  man.  The  idea  of  African  Colonization  was  sug- 
gested, and  immediately  carried  into  execution.  The 


19 


Colony  was  begun,  and  has  grown  with  unexampled 
rapidity,  until  it  is  now  an  independent  nation  — “The 
Republic  of  Liberia”  — extending  its  fostering  wings 
over  no  less  than  one  hundred  thousand  human  beings, 
who  are  rapidly  imbibing  the  spirit  and  principles  of 
Christianity  and  liberty  ! ! 

It  is  a fact,  as  remarkable  as  it  is  cheering  to  the 
heart  of  the  Christian,  that  a larger  proportion  of  the 
citizens  of  Liberia,  (more  than  one  half,  I believe,)  are 
professors  of  religion,  than  can  be  found  in  any  other 
nation  on  the  face  of  the  globe  ! Here  then  is  the  “ salt” 
that  is  to  redeem  Africa  from  her  impurities  and  corrup- 
tions— here  is  the  “leaven”  that  is  to  convert  the 
multitudinous  nations  of  that  continent  into  a homo- 
geneous brotherhood ; and  here  is  the  “ light”  that  is 
to  penetrate  all  the  dark  places  of  that  benighted  land, 
and  dissipate  ignorance,  superstition,  and  degrading 
error. 

Again,  Commerce  and  trade  have  already  commenced 
between  the  native  Africans  and  the  Colonists.  There  is 
a constant  stream  of  natives  going  to  and  from  Liberia, 
engaged  in  traffic,  as  yet  on  a small  scale,  ’tis  true,  but 
still  it  brings  them  in  contact  with  civilized  and  Christ- 
ianized men.  By  every  visit  they  make  to  Liberia  they 
gain  a great  increase  of  light  and  knowledge,  and  return 
to  their  native  retreats  with  tales  as  marvelous,  and  as 
exciting,  as  those  of  the  Crusaders.  This  stimulates 
others  to  visit  that  strange  land  of  the  “ white-black 
man” ! They  go  away  with  less  respect  for  their  own 
superstitions,  and  with  greatly  increased  reverence  for 
the  religion  and  civilization  of  the  Colonists ; and  the 
time  is  not  far  distant  when  they  will  adopt  their  man- 
ners, customs,  and  their  religion. 

Once  more  — it  will  not  be  long,  if  it  has  not  already 
occurred,  until  the  native  kings  and  chief  men  will  send 


y 


,<3 " 


20 


their  sons  to  be  educated  at  the  Schools,  Colleges,  and 
Universities  of  learning,  in  Liberia  — where  they  will  be 
certain  to  abandon  their  idolatry,  and  adopt  Christianity 
in  its  stead,  and  return  to  their  homes  civilized  and 
christianized,  in  due  time  to  succeed  their  fathers  on  the 
thrones,  and  in  the  governments  of  the  various  tribes  and 
kingdoms  of  that  wide  extended  country.  And  it  is 
universally  true,  amongst  barbarous  tribes,  and  indeed 
amongst  civilized  also,  that  such  as  are  the  rulers,  so  are 
the  ruled — “ like  kings , like  people .” 

It  is  impossible,  for  the  most  careless  and  indifferent 
observer  and  thinker,  not  to  see  how  Liberia  is  des- 
tined, in  a very  short  time  — short,  as  measured  by 
the  clock  of  God’s  providence,  for  with  God  “ a thousand 
years  are  but  as  one  day” — to  evangelize  and  civilize 
Africa. 

What  a glorious  commentary  does  this  subject  afford, 
upon  God’s  gracious  providence,  in  bringing  good  out  of 
evil — “ I took  thee  to  curse  mine  enemies,  and,  behold, 
thou  hast  blessed  them  altogether”  ! 

In  conclusion,  I would  suggest  the  propriety  of  the 
friends  of  Colonization,  in  this  State,  memorializing  the 
next  Legislature  to  follow  the  example  of  Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  other  States  in  the  Union,  in  making  an 
appropriation,  with  a view  to  establishing  a Missouri 
Colony  in  Liberia.  Twenty  thousand  dollars,  thus  ap- 
propriated, would,  in  various  ways,  accomplish  a vast 
amount  of  ,good.  It  would  enable  many,  who  are  now 
ready  and  willing  to  emigrate  to  Liberia,  forthwith  to  ac- 
complish an  event  so  desirable.  It  would  encourage 
others  to  get  ready  to  follow  the  same  example.  And  it 
would  bring  this  great  subject  prominently  before  the 
minds  of  every  body  — the  result  would  be  to  stimulate 


21 


the  public,  first  to  think  on  the  subject,  next  to  investi- 
gate — then  talk  about  it,  and  finally  act.  There  is  an 
efficient  and  well  organized  State  Colonization  Society ; 
and  if  the  Legislature  will  place  at  their  disposal  the  sum 
of  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  dollars,  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  it  would  enable  the  cause  to  triumph  in  this 
State,  and  be  the  means  of  enabling  the  Society  to  carry 
into  effect  the  project  of  establishing  a Missouri  Colony, 
in  the  “ Republic  of  Liberia 


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